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Has our society lost something? Has the societal glue that binds us lost its adhesive quality? What is going on? The character and societal values so prized by previous generations, and so crucial to our development, seem less evident today. If this is true, where will it lead us?
American Values
Our culture is not unique, but it is important to our success and survival as a dominant nation. Much of its strength can be attributed to the Wild West, frontier characteristic of our development. Our fundamental cultural values have traditionally included: freedom, individualism, patriotism, generosity, privacy, family, and work. And although we value self-reliance, we have always enjoyed a cohesiveness and mutual support that have enabled us to come together in a crisis, whether it was war, economic problems or natural disaster.
Distortion
These values appear to be undergoing a change. Whether this change is transitory or permanent, only time will reveal. The primary values seem to be there, but may be experiencing some distortion. Our freedoms are being limited by external threats and internal mistrust. The threat of terrorism has increased suspicion, and invaded privacy. We are more subject to technological monitoring of our actions, and constrained in our physical and cyber movements.
Family, and even friendships have been tested by increasing work demands and technology that increasingly substitutes for direct interaction. As material success has ascended in priority family has taken a back-seat. Family size continues to decrease, and extended family is less important. Instead of taking care of elderly family members they’re shipped off to caretaking facilities. Likewise with the children. Often, work demands conflict with childrearing responsibilities.
Generosity still exists. We are a very generous people. However, financial strains have taken a toll. And the attitude of everyone being out for themselves has interfered with giving, as has depersonalization and, a reliance on institutions to handle these matters.
Patriotism has also experienced a decline. Conscription into the military has been replaced with a mercenary armed force. Court rulings have limited public demonstrations of patriotism, and political leaders rarely speak of it.
We seem to be collectively exhausted, disillusioned, skeptical and suspicious; in a hunkered down survival mode.
The Future
Will our values continue to erode and morph? Probably; in the absence of some new paradigm, social imperative, values education or leadership. We are evolving for better or worse. Perhaps new values will supplant the old; ones that are more consistent with current realities. Or perhaps we’ll return to those that resulted in our unparalleled progress and success. Whatever happens, the health and continuity of our entire society are in the balance.
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Source by Dr. Ben A. Carlsen
